Brief case



March 6, 1956 L. LlFTON BRIEF CASE Filed June 17, 1955 IFIG.4. FIG.5.

INVENITOR LEWIS LIFTON.

FIE-3. 2. FIG. 3.

BY J 5/ Z I W 7%. ATTORNEY BRIEF CASE Lewis Lifton, N ew York, N. Y.

Application June 17,1953, Serial No. 362,301

9 Claims. (Cl. 150 1.6)

This'iuvention relates to a structurally and functionally improved case especially useful for enclosing and transporting papers and other objects, and in its more specific aspects aims to provide a unit commonly known as a brief case.

It i's'an object of the invention to furnish an assembly of this nature, the parts of which will cooperate in a novel and improved manner such that even when the case contains weighty objects and is overloaded, the frame will not be subject to undue strain with consequent distortion of the entire brief case.

A further object is that of providing a structure which will include elements capable of ready fabrication and which elements may easily be incorporated in the assembly by relatively unskilled labor to furnish a unit which will operate with satisfaction over long periods of time with freedom from all difliculties.

With these and other objects in mind, reference is had to the attached sheet of drawings illustrating practical embodiments of the invention, and in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary perspective view of a brief case assembly;

Fig. 2 is a face view of the keeper element forming a part of the assembly;

Fig. 3 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 4 is a face view of the bolt element;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the same;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the elements of the assembly as shown in Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive and showing them in cooperating relationship;

Fig. 7 is a face view showing bolt and keeper elements incorporating an alternative design;

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view ofthese elements in assembled position;

Fig. 9 is a face view of a keeper element embodying still another structure;

Fig. 10 is a side view of that element; and

Fig. 11 and 12 are transverse sectional views showing still further forms of structure which may be employed.

Referring, primarily, to Fig. 1, the numerals 15 indicate the bars which form a part of a brief case frame and to which there is secured the body 16 of the bag.'

The frame is ordinarily formed of metal and a material such as leather is employed to provide the bag body. A handle 17 is pivotally secured to the uppermost bar. A tongue 18 is secured adjacent one of the frame members and conveniently provided with a retainer element 19 which cooperates with a lock structure (not shown) forming a part of the assembly. A second tongue or flap 20 may be secured to the opposite portion of the case so that the latter may readily be opened. Bars 15 will conveniently provide the base portions of U-shaped frame parts which are pivotally'connected with each other as at 21.

As shown specifically in Figs. 2, 3, and 6 a keeper element is secured to that bar 15 which mounts handle 17. This keeper conveniently embraces a plate 22, bent upon itself as at 23 to over and underlie the uppermost 2,737,219 Patented Mar. 6, 1956 bar 15'. Thence the plate extends downwardly and outwardly as at 24 and terminates in a lip portion 25. The lower part 24 is formed with any desired number of slots 26 which serve as keepers for a bolt.

That bolt, as shown in Figs. 4 and'5, conveniently extends through an opening of a plate 27 which is attached to the face oflower bar 15. The bolt may include a body 28 having a base portion 2? disposed adjacent the inner face of plate 27. A spring 30 acts against this base to normally maintain the bolt in projected position. Conveniently, the bar 15 which'rn'ounts plate 27 may be formed with a depressed portion 31 to accommodate the parts. While plates 22 and 27 may be secured to their respective bars in any desired manner, fastening elements such as rivets 32 may be employed for this purpose.

As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the keeper plate 32' may include an upwardly extending portion terminating in an outer guiding lip extending above the frame part 15 mounting it. This is in distinction to the keeper plate 22 which has its operative part 24 extending below such bar 15. Part 34 is formed with a slot 35 which acts as a keeper to receive a bolt 37 supported by a plate 36 and spring press" as at 38. The bolt extends upwardly as shown in these views.

As in Figs 9 and 10, the keeper may include a mountingplate 39 from which a supporting part 40 extends outwardly and parallel to plate 39. Part 46 is formed with a slot 41. A spring 42 is disposed adjacent the crotch of plate assembly 394il. This spring will bear against the adjacented'ge' of the second bar 15 mounting the bolt assembly. To this end, that bar or other portions contacted bythe spring may be suitably faced or protected from abrasions incident to engaging spring 42. In any event, this spring will urge the keeper and bolt assemblies to move laterally with respect to each other. As will'be appreciated in connection withthe structure shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the keeper may extend inwardly or downwardly as in Figs. 2, 3 and 6, or may extend upwardly as in Figs. 7 and 8.

As in Fig. 11, plate- 43 may be secured to the upper bar 15 and extend inwardly below the same and provide at that point a slot 44 functioning as a keeper. Beyond this ,plate 43 is extended downwardly and thence outwardly as at 45. The lower bar 15 mounts a plate 46 whichretairis a bolt 47 urged in an outwardly direction by a spring 48.

Finally, as in Fig. 12, it will be understood that the keeper need not necessarily be in the form of a slot. Likewise, the bolt'need not be an element movable with respect to a mounting plate. Rather, the keeper plate 49' may be bent to extend downwardly and outwardly as at 50' andprovide an indentation 51 in its inner face. The bolt may form a part of a plate 52 and be in the form of an outstruck portion 53 capable of being received intothe recessSl. As shown, plate 49 is mounted upon the upper bar while plate 52 is mounted upon. the lower bar 15.

In connection-with all of the several illustrated forms, it will be noted thatthe keeper element preferably embraces a U-shaped part between the arms of which the adjacent bolt element and the bar mounting the same is received. As in Figs. 1' to 6, any undue strain upon handle 17 will cause the lowermost bar 15' to bear with greater intimacy against the face of the plate portion '24. Also it will cause bolt 28 to penetrate the opening of the keeper to a maximum extent. This will Prevent 3 rated from the keeper by simply pulling in opposite directions the tongues or tabs 18 and 20.

The same is true of the structure shown in Figs. 7 and 8. With the handle attached to the uppermost bar 15, bolt 37 will penetrate to a maximum extent the slot 35 providing the keeper. Also the strain between the frame parts will be stabilized because plate 36 will intimately bear against the upper extension 34 of the keeper. In Fig. 11 an undue strain will be dispersed due to the fact that the lower bar 15 will be engaged by a lower plate extension if the case be filled with weighty objects. The structure of Figs. 9 and 10 may, of course, be used in all the several associations and will simply serve with respect to its spring 42 to assure a ready separation of the parts.

In connection with the structure shown in Fig. 12, the strain on the upper bar will be transmitted to the lower bar by virtue of the extended portion 50 of the plate 4-9 bearing against the lower face of the first bar assembly. Bolt portion 53 will be received to a maximum depth within keeper-recess 51. In other words, when bars 15 are in overlapped position the lowermost bar will be received within the crotch of plate assembly 4i) and strains transmitted as a consequence of lifting the case by its handle 17 will be divided between the uppermost and lowermost bars.

Thus, among others, the several objects of the invention as specifically forenoted, are achieved. It is apparent that numerous changes in construction and rearrangements of the parts might be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

I claim:

1. In a brief case a frame including a pair of bars connected for moving with respectto each other and in the closed position of the case lying one above the other, a handle connected to the uppermost of said bars to extend above the same and from which said brief case is suspended, a member having a part U-shaped in cross section, means for securing one of the arms of such member to one of said bars to extend parallel to and adjacent the same, the other of said arms extending above said bar, a second member secured to the second of said bars to extend parallel and above the same at a point Where it will be received between the arms of the firstnamed member with the case in closed position, a bolt element carried by said second member and extending substantially perpendicular with respect to the same and a keeper element forming a part of said first-named member to receive said bolt.

2. In a brief case a frame including a pair of bars connected for moving with respect to each other and in the close position of the case lying one above the other, a handle connected to the uppermost of said bars to extend above the same and from which said brief case is suspended, a member having a part U-shaped in cross section, means for securing one of the arms of such member to one of said bars to extend parallel to and adjacent the same, a second member secured to the second of said bars to extend parallel and adjacent the same at a point where it will be received between the arms of the first-named member with the case in closed position, an integral bolt carried by said second member and extending substantially perpendicular with respect to the same and one of the arms of said first-named member being provided with an indentation furnishing a keeper to receive said bolt element.

3. In a brief case a frame including a pair of bars connected for moving with respect to each other and in the closed position of the case lying one above the other, a handle connected to the uppermost of said bars to extend above the same and from which said brief case is suspended, a member having a part U-shaped in cross section, means for securing one of the arms of such member to one of said bars to extend parallel to and adjacent the same, the second arm of said member extending below the bar to which it is secured, the inner face of such second arm being formed with an indentation providing a keeper, a second member secured to the second of said bars to extend parallel and adjacent the same at a point Where it will be received between the arms of the first-named member with the case in closed position and a bolt element integral with said second member and extending therefrom to cooperate with said keeper when said bars lie in positions one above the other.

4. In a brief case a frame including a pair of bars connected for moving with respect to each other and in the closed position of the case lying one above the other, a handle connected to the uppermost of said bars to extend above the same and from which said brief case is suspended, a member having a part U-shaped in cross section, means for securing one of the arms of such member to one of said bars to extend parallel to and adjacent the same, a second member secured to the second of said bars to extend parallel and adjacent the same at a point where it will be received between the arms of the first-named member with the case in closed position, a bolt element carried by said second member and extending substantially perpendicular with respect to the same, a keeper element forming a part of said first-named member to receive said bolt and spring means associated with said first-named member to urge the second member to a position at which said bolt and keeper elements do not cooperate.

5. In a brief case a frame including a pair of bars connected for moving with respect to each other and in the closed position of the case lying one above the other, a handle connected to the uppermost of said bars to extend above the same and from which said brief case is suspended, a member having a part U-shaped in cross section, means for securing one of the armsof such member to one of said bars to extend parallel to and adjacent the same, a second member secured to the second of said bars to extend parallel and adjacent the same at a point where it will be received between the arms of the firstnamed member with the case in closed position, a bolt element carried by said second member and extending substantially perpendicular with respect to the same and said first-named member being formed with a plurality of slots furnishing keepers to receive said bolt element.

6. In a brief case a frame including a pair of bars connected for moving with respect to each other and in the closed position of the case lying one above the other, a handle connected to the uppermost of said bars to extend above the same and from which said brief case is suspended, a member having a part U-shaped in cross section, means for securing one of the arms of such member to one of said bars to extend parallel to and adjacent the same, the second arm extending downwardly from said bar, a second member secured to the second of said bars to extend parallel and adjacent the same to extend downwardly from said second bar so that it will be received between the arms of the first-named member with the case in closed position, a bolt element carried by said second member and extending substantially perpendicular with respect to the same and a keeper element forming a part of said first-named member to receive said bolt.

7. In a receptacle such as a brief case in combination a pair of relatively movable bars, a carrying handle connected to one of said bars, plates attached one to each of said bars to be moved laterally thereby to positions overlying each other, a bolt extending outwardly from one plate, the second plate providing a keeper to receive said bolt, said plates-with said case disposed upon a supporting surfacebeing spaced a distance such that said bolt has substantial movement with respect to said keeper and the bar to which said handle is connected being subject to lateral shifting with respect to the other bar-with the weight of the case and its contents being supported by said handle--such shifting causing said plates to move towards each other and the bolt to enter said keeper whereby to prevent said plates from moving laterally with respect to each other.

8. In a receptacle such as a brief case in combination a pair of relatively movable bars, a carrying handle connected to one of said bars, plates attached one to each of said bars to be moved laterally thereby to positions overlying each other, a bolt extending outwardly from one plate, the second plate providing a keeper to receive said bolt, said plateswith said case disposed upon a supporting surfacebeing spaced a distance such that said bolt has substantial movement with respect to said keeper, the bar to which said handle is connected being subject to lateral shifting with respect to the other barwith the weight of the case and its contents being supported by said handle-such shifting causing said bolt to enter said keeper whereby to prevent said plates from moving laterally with respect to each other and an extension forming a part of the plate providing the keeper and overlapping the bar to which the bolt is connected to provide a support for such latter bar.

9. In a receptacle such as a brief case in combination a pair of relatively movable bars, a carrying handle connected to one of said bars, plates attached one to each of said bars to be moved laterally thereby to positions overlying each other, a bolt extending upwardly from the bar to which said handle is connected, an extension forming a part of the second plate and overlapping the plates from which said bolt extends upwardly and the bar supporting such plate, said extension providing a keeper to receive said bolt, said plateswith said case disposed upon a supporting surfacebeing spaced a distance such that said bolt has substantial movement with respect to said keeper and the bar to which said handle is connected being subject to lateral shifting with respect to the other barwith the weight of the case and its contents being supported by said handle--such shifting causing said plates to move towards each other and the bolt to move toward the extension of the plate which provides said keeper and to enter the latter and thus prevent said plates from moving laterally with respect to each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 485,230 Scheuer Nov. 1, 1892 1,662,837 Stuart Mar. 20, 1928 2,052,402 Groves Aug. 25, 1936 2,474,003 Lifton June 21, 1949 2,630,851 Rodgers Mar. 10, 1953 

